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St. Helens staff propose phased rate increases to fund new reservoir and sewer upgrades
Summary
City staff and a hired consultant proposed annual increases to water (6.35%), sewer (4.64%) and stormwater (4.79%) over five years to fund a new 5,000,000‑gallon reservoir (budgeted $15M) and a $24.8M sewer capacity project; staff said grants and SRF loans will offset borrowing, while residents raised affordability and collection concerns.
City of St. Helens Public Works staff and an outside consultant recommended a phased rate plan on the evening’s open house to finance major water and sewer capital projects and ongoing operations.
Mohammed Zaire, the city’s public works director, introduced consultant Steve Donovan, who said the city needs a new 5,000,000‑gallon reservoir to replace aging storage off Pittsburgh Road and Battle Mountain that has been out of service. Donovan estimated the reservoir at about $15 million and said a siting study by Keller Associates has narrowed eight candidate locations; staff expect all work on the reservoir to be completed by around 2030.
Donovan also described a sewer capacity program focused on basins 4 and 6, with design about 90% complete and an estimated construction cost of roughly $24.8 million. He said design was funded by a $2.5 million grant from Business Oregon and that construction financing is expected through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), which includes an…
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